With Gotham recently given more episodes, the cast continues to expand and a crucial role has just been cast.

Deadline reports that Morena Baccarin (Inara in Firefly and Jessica Brody in Homeland) has signed on to play Dr Leslie Thompkins.

Morena Baccarin as Inara in Firefly

She plays a crucial role in the development of young Bruce Wayne after the death of his parents in the comics (and she’s one of the very few people to know he’s the man behind the Batman), and the series will see her become close to Detective Jim Gordon (Ben McKenzie).

The site describes her role as “a gifted and dedicated physician who was a friend of Bruce Wayne’s parents, Thomas and Martha. She is determined to use her skills to aid Gotham’s most in need, which currently means working at the newly opened Arkham Asylum’s Home for the Criminally Insane. In addition to her medical skills, her coolness under pressure will serve her well as she finds herself drawn close to James Gordon and into more and more dangerous waters.”

They also note that she’ll likely become a regular in Season Two, and will be a recurring guest star this season.

Dr Thompkins could give Bruce’s development the balance it needs. At the moment, we have Sean Pertwee’s tough-love, trust-no-one Alfred and Ben McKenzie’s promises of justice and belief in law and order. He could do with someone helping him to remind him that he’s still a child who’s suffered a terrible loss. Exactly how that would fit into Gotham‘s mad tonal stew is another matter…